The driver you encounter on the way to work may be just 14 years old, and he or she may live across the street.

Driving permits designed for the farm let 14-year-olds drive in the city. But the decades-old law is drawing new scrutiny from a state senator.

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Terry Gordon has taught lessons on the road longer than just about anyone else. For the past 40 years, Gordon has worked with teens to make them better drivers.

Lately, Gordon said, he's worried about so many more distracted drivers getting behind the wheel.

"Those type of students are just an accident looking for a place to happen," Gordon said.

Gordon is also worried about a 50 percent increase in the number of 14- and 15-year-old drivers in Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy counties.

That compares to a 14 percent decrease across the rest of the state.

Fred Zwonechek, of Nebraska's Office of Highway Safety, said the increases can be attributed to convenience.

Current Nebraska law allows any 14- or 15-year-old who lives outside of city limits and more than a mile-and-a-half from school to qualify for school driving permits. The permits, which were designed with rural living in mind, allow teenagers as young as 14 to drive to school and any school activity only.

But 14- and 15-year-olds who live in sanitary improvement districts or subdivisions nestled within the Omaha metro can qualify as well.

Even though total accident numbers for the age group are on the decline across the state, the highest numbers come from Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy counties.

"Their odds of being in a crash are significantly higher than any other age group," Zwonechek said.

State Sen. Kathy Campbell said this news should be troubling for the rest of us.

"The intent of the original law was really to be a farm school permit," Campbell said.

Campbell, who serves on Nebraska's Transportation Committee, said the Nebraska Legislature considered an expansion of school driving permits in the past few years, but she said the proposals died in committee.

Now, she said, the legislature has a lot more to work with to restrict the permits.

"You're bringing to light here that data which says to me the legislature needs to make a more thorough look at it," Campbell said.

Gordon agrees and said something definitely needs to change.

Some of the teens he is tasked with training, Gordon said, are not ready and not responsible enough to get behind the wheel.